Risk Modeling Lessons of the Financial Crisis

Contributor: Dom Tobey, Deputy Head Global Specialty Lines, PartnerRe
Date: 8/31/2009
When one considers the role that risk modeling played in the roots of the financial crisis, there were very clearly a number of common technical flaws in the models. However, the way the models were used and managed played a far more important role than the technical problems themselves. While these issues centered around investment banking activities, the broad lessons learned are equally applicable to insurance and reinsurance.
Tags: Non-specific, Risk management & reserving, Capital markets & structured products, Claims, Pricing & models

When Risk Management Systems Fail

Contributor: Patrick Thiele President & CEO
Date: 12/1/2007
As we progress through the fourth quarter, we continue to hear bad news in the financial sector. The sub-prime debacle and subsequent credit crisis continues to impact the financial and re/insurance sectors. The issue has accelerated in the fourth quarter with ongoing volatility and reductions in liquidity for any kind of sub-prime asset. Stocks directly or indirectly related to the crisis are also dropping. And unfortunately, there is likely more to come.
Tags: Non-specific, Risk management & reserving, Capital markets & structured products, CEO commentary

Sub-prime Parallels

Contributor: Patrick Thiele President & CEO
Date: 10/1/2007
The U.S. and world financial systems are experiencing a ’shock loss’, characterized in the re/insurance industry as a loss event that can lead to substantial financial difficulty. This initially arose out of the sub-prime mortgage asset class, but soon spread to other asset-backed securities. Billions of dollars of investors’ money is disappearing in a wave of defaults and additional billions of dollars worth of securities will be ‘marked to market’. No one currently knows the extent or the magnitude of the problem.
Tags: Non-specific, Risk management & reserving, Capital markets & structured products

When Change is Afoot

Contributor: Patrick Thiele President & CEO
Date: 4/1/2007
The January 1, 2007 non-life renewal results are in. Despite a good portion of premiums leaving the reinsurance market, the renewal was orderly, with a reasonable level of competition. But on January 2, substantial change was afoot. 2006 proved to be a record year ...
Tags: Non-specific, Risk management & reserving, Capital markets & structured products, Regulation, CEO commentary